Horizontal natural gas storage caverns and methods for producing same
- Albuquerque, NM
The invention provides caverns and methods for producing caverns in bedded salt deposits for the storage of materials that are not solvents for salt. The contemplated salt deposits are of the bedded, non-domed variety, more particularly salt found in layered formations that are sufficiently thick to enable the production of commercially usefully sized caverns completely encompassed by walls of salt of the formation. In a preferred method, a first bore hole is drilled into the salt formation and a cavity for receiving insolubles is leached from the salt formation. Thereafter, at a predetermined distance away from the first bore hole, a second bore hole is drilled towards the salt formation. As this drill approaches the salt, the drill assumes a slant approach and enters the salt and drills through it in a horizontal direction until it intersects the cavity for receiving insolubles. This produces a substantially horizontal conduit from which solvent is controlledly supplied to the surrounding salt formation, leaching the salt and producing a concentrated brine which is removed through the first bore hole. Insolubles are collected in the cavity for receiving insolubles. By controlledly supplying solvent, a horizontal cavern is produced with two bore holes extending therefrom.
- Research Organization:
- Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), Albuquerque, NM, and Livermore, CA (United States)
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC04-76
- Assignee:
- Sandia Corporation (Albuquerque, NM)
- Patent Number(s):
- US 5431482
- OSTI ID:
- 869967
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
natural
gas
storage
caverns
methods
producing
provides
bedded
salt
deposits
materials
solvents
contemplated
non-domed
variety
particularly
found
layered
formations
sufficiently
thick
enable
production
commercially
usefully
sized
completely
encompassed
walls
formation
preferred
method
bore
drilled
cavity
receiving
insolubles
leached
thereafter
predetermined
distance
towards
drill
approaches
assumes
slant
approach
enters
drills
direction
intersects
produces
substantially
conduit
solvent
controlledly
supplied
surrounding
leaching
concentrated
brine
removed
collected
supplying
cavern
produced
holes
extending
therefrom
substantially horizontal
bore holes
salt formation
sufficiently thick
preferred method
natural gas
predetermined distance
gas storage
horizontal direction
salt deposits
extending therefrom
horizontal conduit
salt form
holes extending
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